Scansion 101 by Shmoop

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This video explains how to scan and diagram a poem or other work of literature for meter and line length and identifies the metrical description of lines from Richard III and The Song of Hiawatha. What are the different names for the patterns in language? Why should we care about scanning poetry? What’s Iambic Pentameter, anyway?

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I've never known something so hard to learn in all my life

hanjnk

I would like to know how to differentiate between a stressed syllable and an unstressed syllable in a line.

kingshukmondal

my english teacher sent us this video instead of doing any teaching himself

jjcika

The first line goes like this:

/ - - / - / - / - /
Now is the winter of our discontent.

As always this Shmoop episode is great and useful. However, I've noticed some inaccuracies which I fear might dishearten students (as they are counterintuitive and would make us feel we dont understand or we are unable to read the rhythm properly).

About the first line: As Shakespeare often does, he uses a trochaic inversion to begin the speech; otherwise, the line scans normally. Note how Shakespeare uses metaphor in this line and the one that follows, comparing the Yorkist ascension to the throne to a change in seasons. Discontent in this context can either denote "dissatisfaction" or "sorrow"; given Richard's character, it is more likely the former.
And the fourth
- - / / - - - / - / -
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
This line demonstrates another common occurrence in Shakespeare's blank verse, in which he begins an iambic line with a pyrrhic followed by a spondee. Sometimes it's used to reinforce meaning; other times, as it seems here, it merely adds a rhythmic changeup to the speech. The line also breaks up the iambic regularity by employing a feminine ending (an extra unstressed syllable). Notice also how Shakespeare uses ellipsis to omit the implied "are" in the line, helping to maintain the meter.

Good luck everybody and enjoy the music of poetry!

YesMissTy

How can we find the foot ? is it necessary to put 2 words together?

_rosexalhabsi

2:55 Those stresses on the last line don't look right at all: "boSOM of THE oCEAN buRIED"?? Surely not.

prodigalretrod

The constant feet jokes are weirding me out lmao

CaitKat

What did the buffalo say to his son as he left for school?

BYE SON

conan

How can we check if we have done the right scansion or wrong?

randoms

what happens if a few of the lines are shorter or longer than the one before ?

PerfectwChocolateskin

it was very hard to me to anderstend how to get out the rhythm and meter and scan a poem but happily it's not anymore .i want thank you for the great explanation. it was worthing my time❤❤

رنارنا-مص

In Latin countries, poetry is all about the number of syllables and only some very simple things about stress. We don't even hear about feet. Instead of iambic pentameter, we hear of decasyllable (10 syllables). Simple!

guardiaomer

The only fking video you'll ever need before the day of your exam.

Xaviex

it's funny and very impressive way to guide step by step as the easiest powerful concept for everyone..I can't thank you enough ! no words for express....

kapilbari

This was supposed to be 101 and I didn't understand a word of it- I love lyrics, poetry, etc, but I do not understand the technical aspects, which can make it difficult. But why did this video have to be so hard when it was supposed to an introduction to something you knew nothing of? It makes me angry when people don't teach well, especially to those who want to learn but find the subject very hard.

debra